I'm Still Bouncing! 2016 Rebounder Update & ALS Exercise Tips

Here’s exciting news - - I’m still bouncing!

So? You ask, what’s all the fuss?

Well, let’s begin with the fact that I have ALS, and I am embarking on my sixth year of living with the condition (Note: the average prediction for survival with ALS is only 2-5 years following diagnosis) and I attribute a large part of having reached this milestone to following basic wellness lifestyle principles. One of which is - - daily moderate exercise.

Last year, I wrote ("Why I Bounce") about how an important part of my daily exercise is using a rebounder - - one that had been originally designed by my father George Nissen, inventor of the modern trampoline. I also shared that when I began bouncing again post-ALS, my feet had completely forgotten how, and I had to learn to bounce all over again.  Soggy-walking slowly transitioned into soggy-bouncing. I challenged myself to complete just 50 bounces, then to keep going through a whole song and finally build up to a daily 20-minute workout.

And now one year later, thanks to the wonderful folks at Active Fun and X-L-Ent Care Products, Inc., I’m bouncing on a new, up-graded model of my father’s original design. This new unit is called a Health Bounce Pod® or simply a B Pod® (as in, Bounce Pod).

You’ll notice right away that the design is very unique. It’s made for people who want to enjoy the benefits of rebounding but need a super-strong, rugged, stable, supportive apparatus but - - can even look nice in a home setting.  

The side arches and center C-hoop are what make the B Pod® fun, safe and easy to use. The C-hoop is at the right height and position to use as a handgrip, it moves with the bouncer and is convenient as well as firm enough to lean against during brief rest periods.

The B Pod® arrives in a flat box and is pre-assembled - - except for having to slide the leg bars on, unfold the arches and attach the center C-hoop - - all easily managed. Although the arches can be folded back down between uses I highly suggest leaving everything up and intact. If it’s ready to go, you’ll be more likely to use it! If you do need to move the unit, the leg bar design allows for an easy slide across carpet or similar surface. More details and description are available here. 

Remember, the Health Bounce Pod®/B-Pod® is not for trampoline skills or super-high bounces, it is for fundamental rebound therapy, which includes: gentle cardio, muscle tone, kinesthetic awareness, balance training, movement coordination and mood enhancement.

Having ALS leads to a lack of daily physical movement and most of the day is spent sitting, which fast-forwards our body to that of the typical elderly person. Inactivity and sitting reduces vestibular stimulation; which means our inner ears lose the ability to communicate with our brain in order to regulate our body’s equilibrium or balance. Having poor balance leads to falls.

In 2011, researchers in Germany studied the effects of rebounding as an intervention to help the elderly reduce their risk of falling. Following a 14-week period of exercising on a rebounder, participants increased their foot planter flexion muscle strength by an average of 10% and demonstrated the increased ability to regain balance during a forward fall by an average of 35%. The researchers concluded that “the improvement was attributed to the higher rate of hip movement generation.” http://www.jelectromyographykinesiology.com/article/S1050-6411(11)00006-X/fulltext

I know I’m happy with the benefits I’ve experienced from following my program of regular daily rebounding and I look forward to even more gains using my new Health Bounce Pod®/B Pod®. 

In fact, I can boast that I’m now able to hop from foot-to-foot! YAY! 

Take a look at my video:

Having trouble viewing the video? 

Use this link: https://youtu.be/YJFPYP62ds4

And yes, to prove that the Health Bounce Pod®/B Pod® is based on my father’s original design, is manufactured following strict requirements, using high grade material: each unit comes with its own engraved authentication number - - Just like an original Nissen trampoline! 

To Learn More:

Updated 2021: For anyone interested, the Health Bounce Pod®/B Pod® is now available from Energy Surfaces Inc. (Reboundforhealth) https://www.reboundforhealth.com/shop/health-bounce-bpod-black

Dagmar Munn
ALS and Wellness Blogger

"Exercise is medicine!"

Becky Farley, PhD, MS, PT

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